# Development and validation of a law-cost cerebral oximeter for detection of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease

> **NIH NIH R21** · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · 2021 · $462,000

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract.
It is now understood that cerebrovascular dysfunction contributes to a host of neurocognitive disorders
including the reduction in cognitive capacity with typical aging as well as the more serious impairments
resulting from vascular disease and dementia. Cerebrovascular pathology is also highly prevalent in patients
with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and is an important factor contributing to the conversion from an independent
state of mild cognitive impairment to the functional dependence associated with Alzheimer’s dementia. Thus,
vascular health and disease are important mechanisms contributing to heterogeneity in cognitive aging and
progression to vascular and Alzheimer’s dementias. Unlike the proteinopathies of AD and other
neurodegenerative conditions, vascular health is immediately modifiable through behavioral and lifestyle
factors, as well as a range of pharmacological and device related interventions. Thus, it is critical to develop
methods for quantitative tracking of metrics of cerebrovascular health that could be used to detect the earliest
stages of abnormalities that may require intervention. Optimally, such technology would be wireless,
mobile/web interfacing and would be very low cost allowing for accessibility to traditionally medically
underserved populations. We have designed and prototyped such a device that would permit widespread
cerebrovascular monitoring in older adults. The goal of this R21 proposal is to complete the development of,
and to validate this novel low-cost cerebral oximeter that can be used to screen for cerebrovascular disorders
that contribute to cognitive impairment and increase risk for the development of AD. To do so, we will aim to
Specific Aim 1: 1a) complete the design and casing and programming of our existing developed device; 1b) to
optimize the design for high performance and reliable physiological signal detection; Aim 2: 2a) to validate
performance of the low-cost mobile oximeter relative to gold standard high grade cerebral oximeter; 2b) to
validate performance of the low-cost mobile oximeter relative to cerebral physiology measurements obtained
by magnetic resonance imaging. The proposed sensor would promote widespread cerebrovascular monitoring
in individuals at risk for vascular dysfunction and neurocognitive disorders. Ultimately, in the future, we aim for
this sensor to be translated for use in clinical practice for generalized primary care as well as specialty clinical
use.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10214169
- **Project number:** 1R21AG072481-01
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Maria Angela Franceschini
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $462,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-05-01 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10214169

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10214169, Development and validation of a law-cost cerebral oximeter for detection of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease (1R21AG072481-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10214169. Licensed CC0.

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